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Health officials on Friday reported a typhus outbreak in Los Angeles County and say it has reached "epidemic levels" in the city of Pasadena.

Twenty cases have been reported in Pasadena, mostly in the last two months, health officials told NBC News, noting that a normal year would typically only see five infections. The city of Long Beach, California, has 12 cases so far in 2018 — double the normal annual number, said Emily Holman, the city's infectious disease response coordinator.

The number of cases in the rest of the county since July is nine, which counts as an "outbreak," Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials said in a statement. Pasadena and Long Beach have their own health departments even though they exist within the county.

“The Pasadena Public Health Department is reporting epidemic levels of typhus fever this year," read a statement from that city on Friday.

The official source of the outbreak is said to be fleas from domestic and wild animals

Long Beach has joined other major cities that have seen an increase of typhus cases this year.

Health officials said there have been nine cases in Downtown Los Angeles, 12 in Long Beach, 20 in Pasadena and 59 in Los Angeles County.

Authorities said flea-borne typhus only makes humans sick, not animals. Feral rats, possums and cats can carry the disease.

“I’ve seen raccoons, possums, and yeah, cats, and they’re all just out and about,” said pet owner Gary O’Callaghan.

A flea on one of those stray animals can jump on pets and then be transferred onto humans.

One other potential source not mentioned is the dogs that so many homeless people have, but don't/can't care for when it comes to getting rid of fleas. I wonder how many of those found to have typhus were also homeless.

Facts don't matter to DUpipo.

BIG CHEETO Is Watching You!

Note to "Warpy" and "shockey80": I voted for Donald Trump! I would do so again!

Since July, there have been nine cases of typhus in downtown Los Angeles, six of which infected homeless people, prompting health officials last week to declare an outbreak there. There have also been 20 cases in Pasadena this year, far more than the five typically seen there annually.

Typhus outbreaks are often associated with poor hygiene and overcrowding. Los Angeles officials say they’re corralling stray animals that could carry fleas, cleaning streets and encouraging people to treat their pets for fleas and put away trash that may attract infected animals.

"People who think they know it all, are annoying to those of us who really do".... Pyro Bob

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Not surprising. Other than those homeless with sufficient sanity and $$ to maintain something like a gym membership, hygiene is poor. Encampments may be tightly packed for mutual support, and in places like parks and river/creek banks/beds that are frequented by wild animals. Throw in little or no flea control for their dogs, and ...

The conditions described above are as prevalent in San Jose as in the Land of LA, so typhus may be coming to a city near me.

Facts don't matter to DUpipo.

BIG CHEETO Is Watching You!

Note to "Warpy" and "shockey80": I voted for Donald Trump! I would do so again!